


Tell Me On A Sunday

by Skypan



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, I literally only watched 2 seasons of teen wolf but I had to write this so, Insecure Stiles Stilinski, Is this an AU a future fic or canon divergence? idk you choose, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Very light angst with happy ending, everyone is ooc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:47:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22790458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skypan/pseuds/Skypan
Summary: Inspired by the song Tell Me On A Sunday.
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 8
Kudos: 100





	Tell Me On A Sunday

“Can you do me a favor?”

Stiles says the words to the night air above their bed. Its summer and a sticky kind of hot, the windows open and the ceiling fan spinning lazily.

Derek is half asleep, content in his skin in a way that he never thought he’d feel again. They had a really good day.

The pack had had a picnic in John’s backyard. Everyone was happy, not on edge for the first time in forever. Stiles convinced his father to break out the old sprinkler, and everyone ran through fully clothed, even Derek. They sat around shivering while drinking lemonade in their wet clothes, enjoying each other’s company.

“Der?” Stiles said, bringing him back to present.

“I’m listening,” Derek said, rolling onto his side to look at Stiles. He’s laying flat on his back, his hands folded on his stomach, just staring at the ceiling fan. Derek would be worried, but he smells content, so he figures Stiles just wants Derek to get more popsicles tomorrow or something. Something harmless.

He’s not prepared.

“When you break up with me,” Stiles begins, not stopping for breath as Derek sits up straight. “Don’t do it badly, okay? I need this to end well.”

“Stiles, I’m not going to-“

“Don’t,” Stiles interrupts. He still smells content, although his heart rate has picked up just a little. “It’s okay. I know how this goes for us, for me. But I’m happy with you right now, and I don’t want this memory tainted with something else.”

“Stiles, please, I’m never-“

“Don’t write a letter,” Stiles instructs calmly. “Don’t call me drunk, or get in a big fight with me. Don’t sneak off to South America without telling me.”

Derek feels a stab of guilt at that.

“And especially, don’t tell me why you’re going. Okay? Can you do that for me? Even if you don’t love me then, do it because you love me now. And because I will always love you.”

“I’ll always love you too,” Derek insists, feeling tears come to his eyes. He wants to be exasperated, but Stiles isn’t being crazy or frantic right now. He’s so calm. He’s sure of himself, confident. He believes with all his heart that Derek’s going to leave him one day. And that breaks his heart.

“Just… When the time comes, take me to the zoo, okay? Take me to the monkey cage and tell me there,” he instructs quietly, still staring up at the ceiling. “I don’t like monkeys enough that I’ll miss going to that specific exhibit, and by the time we get there, I’ll already know. It’ll be easy.”

Derek scoots his way closer to Stiles, cups his cheek, leaning over him. “You have to believe me, I love you, forever. I’m not going to leave you Stiles. Please, don’t talk like that.”

Stiles nuzzles into Derek’s hand and gives him a smile. His scent has the slightest touch of sadness now. “Promise me, and I won’t bring it up again. You just have to remember it.”

“I don’t want to leave-“

“Promise me, Der. Please.”

Derek’s tears spill over, one landing on Stiles’ bare shoulder, another on his jaw. He nods, sniffing a bit. “Okay, okay, I promise. Now please, don’t talk like that ever again. I love you and I don’t want to leave you.”

“It’s okay,” Stiles comforts, bringing Derek down next to him and cuddling him, summer heat be damned. “I love you too.”

Derek falls asleep with Stiles stroking his hair. 

**2 year later**

“Do you want to go to the zoo tomorrow?” Derek asks from the kitchen doorway, making Stiles look up from where he’s cutting out a newspaper article. Lydia’s in the paper again, so he’s saving a copy.

He just stares for a moment. “What?”

“Do you want to go to the zoo tomorrow?” Derek asks casually, making his way to get some water. “Its supposed to be a nice day, I thought it might be fun.”

Stiles almost believes he had forgotten that conversation. More accurately, he wants to believe that Derek has forgotten it. That this couldn’t mean what Stiles knows it means.

But then Derek meets his eyes, and Stiles knows that this means something more.

“Okay,” Stiles says. “Okay, let’s go to the zoo tomorrow.” He even manages a smile when he says it.

“Great,” Derek says, walking out with a glass of water.

* * *

Stiles has been quiet the whole day. He got up in the early morning, before Derek was even awake, and walked around their apartment, looking at all of the memories laid on and in every item. He made his peace with the fights had by the front door, the long movie nights on the living room couch, his last few birthdays spent at the kitchen table.

He sees each memory, breathes them in, and reminds himself that he’ll always have these. He doesn’t pack just yet, but he knows what he’ll take with him.

By the time Derek gets up, Stiles feels ready for the day. He feels ready to say goodbye to the man he loves, knowing that he might never love so strongly again.

Derek rubs blearily at his eyes as he presses a kiss to the side of Stiles’ head in passing. “M’rning babe,” he rumbles, already on his way to the coffee maker.

He’s ready.

* * *

Its something of a mantra as they leisurely peruse the zoo. For the most part, Stiles can forget what’s coming and just enjoy the day. He dressed comfy, but with some effort, so that if this was the last memory Derek has of him, it will be a good one. It seems Derek had the same thought, since he’s gelled his hair and is wearing Stiles’ favorite green Henley.

Its only every once in a while he gets a flash of something like despair.

When Derek makes him stop for three whole minutes just in case they can catch sight of the baby elephant (who is clearly not in the enclosure). _Bam._

When he pays for the family in line behind them at the ice cream stand. _Bam._

When he’s mid laugh at something Stiles has said, looking happy and relaxed and real. _Bam, bam, bam._

Each one feels like a punch to the chest, but with each he takes a breath, lets the feeling pass, and reminds himself that he’s ready.

Sure, he’s going to be sad. He’s going to cry when he turns up at his dad’s. But after his depression has worked its course, he’ll get up and still have the happy memories. Years of them. And that’s enough. That’s more than he deserved in the first place. So he won’t ask for more.

They’ve been at the zoo for a few hours when Derek tugs on his hand, leading him to the primate exhibit. Stiles rolls his shoulders back and wills his heart to be calm. _I’m ready._

They get to the monkeys and watch them for a minute or so. Derek waits until they’re the only ones there to clear his throat.

“I have to tell you something,” Derek starts.

“I know,” Stiles says instantly, turning to him with a sad smile. “It’s okay, you don’t have to say it. I appreciate that you did exactly what I wanted. So let’s not sully it by talking about it.”

“But what if I want to talk about it?” Derek asks. Stiles shakes his head.

“I don’t need reasons. Its time for you to leave, and that’s okay.”

“That’s what I wanted to talk about,” Derek says. “The fact that even after all of these years, you still believe that I’m going to break up with you. I _hate_ that you feel so insecure, and that it feels like there’s nothing I can do to make you feel better.”

Stiles furrows his brows, unsure where this was going. This doesn’t feel like a breakup.

“So I’ve been trying to think, ever since we had that conversation, of anything I could do that would convince you I’m here to stay,” Derek has begun pacing now. “We already live together, we’ve met the family, and we agreed that kids aren’t for either of us, especially not yet. But I think I finally figured it out. I think I’ve found the one thing that could make you understand just how much I love you, how devoted I am to you, how afraid I am sometimes that you might bring me to the monkey cage.”

At this, he stops pacing and instead sinks down onto one knee in front of Stiles, removing a velvet box from his pocket.

Stiles’ hands are up in front of his mouth before he can think about it.

“Stiles Stilinski,” Derek says, not bothering with the polish monstrosity of a name, because while he knew it and could say it, he also knew which one Stiles preferred. “You are the love of my life. You are the only person I want to spend the rest of time with. I want to wake up every morning with you for the rest of our lives, until we get old and argue about which one of us gets to die first, as though we aren’t going to go out holding hands like in The Notebook.”

Stiles laughs wetly at that, happy tears welling up.

“I want to let everyone make fun of us for being a gross couple forever, and to babysit the pack’s kids with you and be all of our godchildren’s favorite uncles,” Derek continues. “I want everything with you. And most of all, I don’t want either of us ever thinking about this monkey cage as a sad thing ever again. I don’t want a place to ever be the place where we broke up. Stiles, I love you with all of my heart and soul. Will you marry me?”

He has his arms full of Stiles almost before he finishes speaking. Stiles kisses him once, twice, three times before hugging him enthusiastically, almost knocking them over.

“Of course I’ll marry you, you idiot,” Stiles said, which would have sounded much cooler if he hadn’t been crying into Derek’s neck.

He pulls back just enough for Derek to slip the ring on his finger. It’s a tasteful silver band with a triskilion carved into it.

Suddenly they realize that everyone around them is applauding. Stiles laughs and gets up, wiping his cheeks. Derek rises to join him, grabbing his hand as they wave at the phone cameras recording them.

They make their way back to the parking lot, swinging their connected hands. Derek can’t stop running his fingers over Stiles’ engagement ring, trying to convince himself that its real.

When they get to Stiles’ jeep, he sits a moment instead of immediately beginning the drive home. “You’re sure of this?”

“Absolutely,” Derek says, no hesitation. He reaches out to take Stiles’ hand and presses a kiss to the back of his hand.

Stiles gives him a grin that threatens to eat his face. “I guess you’re stuck with me then. No get out of jail free card after this.”

“Finally!” Derek cheered, making them both laugh.

“Seriously though, I love you,” Stiles said, leaning over to kiss him on the mouth one last time before starting to drive them home. “And remind me to give you _your_ ring when we get home.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. Keep reading if you want to hear my after the fic ideas:
> 
> Yes, despite being insecure in their relationship, Stiles does have a ring waiting at home for Derek. 
> 
> They get married a year later because wedding plan is a b*tch. Scott is Stiles' best man, Cora is Derek's. 
> 
> Its a small service. They go to Oregon for their honey moon because Stiles wants to look for Bigfoot. They find him and end up having a crazy monster of the week style adventure where they have to save him from hunters. 
> 
> The monkey cage at the zoo becomes something of a joke for them. When one of them does something particularly stupid, the other will say something like "get in the car, we're going to the monkey cage". 
> 
> Stiles still gets insecure every once in a while, but Derek is always there to reassure him. They're forever.


End file.
